


Sweet and Lowdown

by MyrsineMezzo



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-23
Updated: 2015-03-15
Packaged: 2018-03-14 20:05:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3423821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyrsineMezzo/pseuds/MyrsineMezzo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chorus girl and flapper Belle French makes a deal with gangster Mr. Gold to save her father, but will she make it out of Boston's underworld in one piece?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue

**Author's Note:**

> I'm going to try to update this weekly. The title "Sweet and Lowdown" comes from a George Gershwin song from that era. I'm going to try to sneak in as much 20s history as I can :) Thank you to everyone who is reading this!

It was 1926 and the 20s were roaring like a lion in Boston, MA. Two chorus girls, Belle French and Ruby Lucas were clustered around the small mirror attached to a rickety vanity table in Granny Lucas’ boarding house. The girls had spent the early evening at their job dancing in the “Gold’s Follies” review, and were now getting ready for a night on the town. The two were giggling as they did their hair. Both had their hair cut short, but Ruby's stick straight hair was a little more fashionable at the moment than Belle's curling locks. Ruby giggled "They're calling it the garçonne look in France. We are so up to date, Bells, I can hardly stand it! These new rags are the bee’s knees, for sure," Ruby gestured to their dresses.  
The two were definitely on a budget and had spent hours sewing their own sleeveless shift dresses to go with the short hair, the dresses coming up only to the knee in a shocking manner. Ruby was so committed to the new look she was wearing a side-lacer bra to flatten her chest, something Belle wasn't quite comfortable with. She preferred to breathe easy when she danced.

They both looked like fast girls tonight with their stockings rolled down to the knee and oxblood lipstick brightly applied. Granny had called out that they looked like a pair of streetwalkers. Ruby shrieked and Belle just blushed as the two ran out the door hand in hand. Ruby had applied sequins to her Mary Jane heels and had loaned Belle a pair trimmed with satin bows. There was absolutely no stopping them tonight. They were dressed to kill and giddily climbed into a cab to take them to one of the hottest spots in town.

This was Belle’s first night off from the Follies’ late show in quite awhile, and the extra money she’d saved was going towards this adventure, whatever it was. Dancing was her passion, and she couldn’t wait to Charleston and Black-Bottom into the wee hours. Being a chorus girl was great and all, especially working for one of the city’s major shows, but Belle felt as if she was in a bit of a rut lately. 

Ruby was obsessed with getting out of chorus girl work and getting into the silent pictures, so maybe that restlessness was rubbing off on her. She’d even taken to calling herself Ruby Red as her stage name to try and stand out. Belle had no such ambitions for the pictures, but there was something more she was looking for. If she could just figure out what that was. Some kind of adventure was just what the doctor had ordered, and that was what tonight was all about.

"Where exactly are we going?" Belle asked her companion. 

"Just you wait and see," Ruby grinned. She had them dropped off in the warehouse district, and they walked several blocks to the door of an innocuous-looking building. 

The doorman was huge and hulking, and asked in his deep voice "Password?" 

"Rumplestiltskin" Ruby replied with wide eyes. 

With a wink at the two, he slid open the industrial steel door and let them in. 

"Is this what I think it is?!" Belle gaped at the dark red and gold papered walls of the hallway lit by electric light from golden candelabras, a startling contrast to the unassuming exterior. 

"Yes! The Golden Wheel! It took me forever to get the location and password from Mulan, but here we are." 

"So this is the boss's speakeasy..." Belle looked around in awe. 

They came to the end of the hallway and then to the bottom of a flight of stairs where a dark, lacquered door stood in front of them. Opening the door, they stumbled into a riot of sound and action. People were dancing on the floor and even on a few tables. The bar was packed with those patrons who were flagrantly breaking Prohibition’s rules. Everything was gold and dark red like the hallway, with mirrors around the walls showing the action to one and all. A band was set up to the side, and hot jazz spilled into the air. 

Ruby shouted in Belle’s ear, “Let’s try to grab a few drinks. I see a space at the bar.”

“Sure! This joint is amazing, but it’s giving me the heebie-jeebies, Red. First round’s on me.”

They made their way through the crush to the bar where a bartender was mixing drinks.

“Get me a Southside cocktail, would ya?” Ruby asked. Belle thought a moment and ordered herself a plain gin and tonic. The two made their way to a free table where they sipped their drinks and took it all in. The band had just finished “Baby Face” and the singer stepped up to the microphone:

Five foot two, eyes of blue  
but oh what those five foot can do  
Has anybody seen my gal?  
Turned up nose,  
Turned down hose  
Flapper? Yes sir, one of those  
Has anybody seen my gal?

“It’s my song!” Belle cried out. 

“Come on, we have to dance this one!” Ruby laughed joyfully.

Belle slung back her drink and set the empty glass down on the table, giggling as she followed her friend onto the dance floor.  
The gin had made her pleasantly warm and tingly, and she began to shimmy and shake with the best of them. Soon the other dancers had made way for Ruby and Belle, and the two were practically putting on an exhibition with the whole place watching them.

“You ladies are hittin’ on all sixes.” A voice boomed to the side of them. A burly man with thick black hair and handsome  
features tried to insert himself into the middle of the duo. 

“Name’s Gaston. You up for some fun, doll?”

“Sorry, mac, the bank’s closed.” Ruby hollered at him over the music. He looked like he was going to argue when suddenly the large man from the door appeared at Belle’s side. As beefy as he was, the interloper couldn’t compete with the bouncer and slunk off towards the corner of the room.

“Mr. Gold would like to see you, miss.” 

No words could have surprised Belle more. What could the infamous Mr. Gold – technically her own boss – want with her?

The music continued to flow on, and Belle shouted “I’ll be right back, Red.” 

As she followed the bouncer to a subtly hidden door in the wall, she ran through what little she knew about Mr. Gold. He was dangerous. Everybody knew that. Mess with Gold and you were likely to have limbs broken. And that was if you were lucky. He owned a good chunk of Boston, although his territory was equal to the Irish and Russian bosses about the town. She had seen him watching rehearsals at the Follies, and recognized him as a dapper man who carried a cane and who really knew how to wear a suit. This was his primary speakeasy, and between the liquor, the real estate, and the entertainment businesses, Gold was a very, very wealthy man. 

So why on earth he would be interested in her was something Belle couldn’t figure out.

They made their way through the door, which the large man closed behind them. 

Belle found herself in a relatively small office area with more of the black lacquer paneling covering the walls and leather chairs scattered around the sides of the room. A large desk took up prominent space in front of the far wall.

“Thank you, Dove. That will be all.”

Belle swung around to her right and saw Gold himself standing next to an inset bookshelf. He was sliding a large, leather-bound ledger into place next to a group of books with the same binding. The shelves held various objects and personal trophies that she would have liked to study, but her nerves were beginning to get the best of her.  
He’d been so slight and quiet that she hadn’t noticed him when she first came in, but now that she was studying him, Belle could sense the aura of power coming off of him. She gulped and wondered how he managed to radiate such authority. It must have been from years of running a large part of the city’s underworld. He swung around, leaning on his cane and looking her over.

“Ms. French. You’re probably wondering why I’ve called you here. Please. Have a seat.” 

He gestured to one of the chairs before the large desk. 

Proud that her knees were only trembling a little bit, Belle sat.

She coughed slightly. “I am curious. What can I do for you, Mr. Gold?”

“So polite. You know, most people think that I bite,” He smiled. “I can assure you, Ms. French that there’s nothing to fear from me. I am, however, going to require your services.”

“My services…?” Belle asked suspiciously.

“Your dancing, to be precise. I couldn’t help but notice you in the chorus the other day. You made quite the impression. Your talent is being wasted as a chorus girl.”

“Thank you!” she exclaimed, relieved that this seemed to only be about work.

“Don’t thank me yet,” he chortled. “No, no, Ms. French, you don’t know what I’m asking for quite yet. I need your dancing skills for a very specific purpose. I’m going to offer you a deal.”

Belle was silent. This was not good. Gold was notorious for his deals, and if one was smart, one stayed the hell away from them. How to do that without offending him, though, she wasn’t sure.

“Have you heard of Killian Jones, Ms. French?”

She nodded.  
Everyone knew that Killian “Hook” Jones and Mr. Gold had a longstanding feud. Jones had lost his hand to a shotgun blast at close range thanks to Gold’s trigger finger. Gold’s wife had run off with the dashing gangster, and the two had been enemies for more than just territory disputes ever since. Nobody knew for sure what had eventually happened to Milah Gold, but word was that she was either at the bottom of Boston harbor or living it up in California as far from her powerful husband as she could get.

“Mr. Jones happens to be opening his own club, The Pirate’s Cave, in a few weeks. He’s auditioning for dancers, and you are going to be one of those dancers.” 

The “or else” that hung in the air was stifling.

“No offense, Mr. Gold, but why would I leave the Follies? You just said I’ve been doing an exemplary job.” Belle was determined not to let him bully her into something that was beginning to sound dangerous.

“Why, to save your dear father, of course,” Gold calmly replied.

“What are you talking about?” Belle became agitated. Her father should be fine. She had just seen him a few days before at the flower shop. They had dinner and had celebrated the anniversary of her mother’s birthday. 

“I’m afraid your father owes me several outstanding debts,” Gold tsked. “I’ve been letting it go for far too long, and the time has come to collect. You can either help me and do what I ask, or your father will lose his shop. I understand his home lies above it as well?”

Belle gasped. “My father has never said a word about any of this. How do I know you’re telling the truth?”

Gold pulled open the top drawer of the desk and took out a small velvet bag. He emptied the contents into his hand and held up a necklace. It was all too familiar. 

“That’s my mother’s,” Belle said quietly. “What are you doing with it?” She knew the necklace intimately. Last she had looked for it, her father had said it must have gotten lost. She had cried a little at that, it being one of the few possessions of her mother they had left.

“Only a small part of the amount that your father owes me,” Gold announced. He stood and walked slowly behind Belle. 

“Ms. French, I need you to infiltrate Jones’ operation. I need you to become a dancer in his employ and keep your ears open for any information you can acquire. In exchange, I’ll forgive your father’s debt, and you, my dear, will come away with a fortune.” 

He stood behind her chair and settled the necklace around her neck.

“Keep the necklace, either way. I understand it is precious to you.”

She reached up and touched the amethyst and pearl at her throat.

“Thank you,” she said.

“No matter, dearie. Just think about what I’ve said. I’ll wait for your answer tomorrow.”

“No need,” Belle replied. “I’ll do it. If you promise it will save my father.”

“I promise,” Gold nodded.

“Then I’m your spy, Mr. Gold.”


	2. Tea for Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle meets her contact, Ariel Finn, and receives help from Jefferson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Belle's dress: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/467389267549947412/

“I’m so glad to hear you’re willing to do what’s best for your family, Ms. French,” Gold said smoothly.

“It doesn’t sound like I have much of a choice,” Belle sighed.

“No, indeed not,” he commented. “Regardless, there are details to arrange. You’re now one of my most valuable employees. I’ll be taking care of the expenses you incur, so don’t worry yourself on that score. Dove will drive you to a particular gentleman’s office tomorrow afternoon who will help you prepare for your role. Once you’re in Jones’ employ, we’ll need to meet on a regular basis to exchange information. I prefer to do that personally. We’ll meet at the Coolidge Corner movie palace. You’ll come alone, of course. Should you need anything else from me, your contact will be Ariel Finn who now works as a waitress at Jack’s Diner across the street from your boarding house.”

This surprised Belle. “Exactly how long have you been planning this, Mr. Gold?”

“Oh, dearie, you have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for the perfect opportunity to insert someone into Mr. Jones’ operation. I had to act fast. My last informant went…missing. That is why you’ll have a contact person rather than calling me directly. I can’t be sure the Prohibition agents haven’t tapped my operation’s phone. Some of the officers are quite corrupt, and we don’t want you getting in the crossfire, now do we?”

Belle shivered and shook her head.

“But to answer your question, you just happened to be in the right place at the right time. And you are, as I said, an excellent dancer. I’ve kept an eye on you as you came up through the ranks. You have a certain something–” He stopped short as if he had said too much, and she could have sworn the tips of his ears had turned red. Gold cleared his throat. “Does this sound like something you can manage, Ms. French?”

“It does.” She replied.

“Excellent. Dove is just outside the door. He’ll return you to Ms. Lucas’ company.” 

Belle stood at this dismissal and started for the door. She looked back at him as she opened the door, still reeling with all of the information, and realized he’d been watching her go.

“Good luck, Ms. French,” he said quietly and smiled a crooked, surprisingly sexy smile at her.

She blushed and hurried through the door.

Dove was indeed waiting for her on the other side. He walked next to her, shielding her from the now-overwhelming noise and crush of bodies. Ruby was talking to a handsome young man who seemed enthralled with her. Dove dropped her off there and stalked back towards the front door, giving a surprised Belle a soft pat on the shoulder before he left. Ruby turned to her. 

“Bells! What’s going on? Why did the boss want to see you?”

Belle looked at the man who was intent on every word coming out of Ruby’s mouth.

“Oh! This is August! He’s a reporter with the Boston Globe. He does Arts reviews and has seen our show.”

“August Booth” he introduced himself and shook Belle’s hand.

Oh god, she thought. If a reporter notices me here and then at Jones’ and puts two and two together… Belle improvised quickly.

“I lost my job, Red! Mr. Gold fired me.”

“What?! What for?” Ruby demanded.

“My dad owes him a ton of money and he’s taking it out on me. He said I didn’t deserve to be in the chorus anymore!” From somewhere amid her panic she managed to work up some tears.

“I can’t believe that mug!” Ruby raged “If he has a beef with your old man, he shouldn’t be taking it out on you.”

Belle just shrugged and sniffled.

“That doesn’t make sense,” August called out over the band’s music.

“Wh-what?” Belle asked

“Doesn’t make sense. If your father owes him money, why wouldn’t he just dock your pay?”

Belle thought a very unladylike curse word in August’s direction and tried to think fast. She started crying harder.

“He…h…he said I could pay off the debt ‘another way.’ But I’m not that kind of girl!” She left them to assume Gold had asked her for some depraved favor.

August and Ruby exchanged shocked looks.

“C-can we go home, Red?” Belle sniffled.

“Of course, Bells. Let’s get out of this lousy joint. Nice meeting you, August. Give me a call sometime.”

“Count on it, doll,” he grinned then gave Belle a nod and a sympathetic look.

Belle and Ruby walked down the street looking for a cab. They got a ride back to the boarding house mostly in silence, Belle sniffling once or twice and trying to look dejected, which wasn’t difficult at the moment.  
They made it inside, but Ruby pushed Belle aside as Belle tried to walk into her room and pull the door shut behind her. Ruby turned and gazed at Belle with one hand on her cocked hip. 

“Alright, Belle. What’s really going on?” 

“What are you talking about, Red?”

“Come on, Belle. I’m not some Dumb Dora. I’ve seen you really upset before, and there’s something fishy going on. Spill it.”

Belle took a deep breath and let it out.

“I’m in trouble, Red. Well, dad’s in trouble. He really does owe Mr. Gold a ton of money - and I’m the payment. I have to go undercover at Killian Jones’ new club.”

“Hook Jones?! Are you crazy?” Ruby screeched.

“I know, I know. This whole thing is crazy.” 

“What are you going to do, Bells?” 

“What else CAN I do? I’m up to my ears in it this time.”

“Well, I’m here if you need me. Whatever I can do, kid.”

“Thanks, Red. I’m going to try to get some sleep. Dove, Gold’s right hand man, is coming to take me somewhere tomorrow and I still have to go see my Dad at some point.”

“Night Bells.”

“Night.”

Ruby left the room, and Belle sat down on her bed trying to calm her spinning thoughts. She finally stood up, hanging her new dress up in the small closet and taking off her makeup. Somehow, things had to look better in the morning.

 

They didn’t. 

Belle woke up slowly from a sleep that had been truly awful. Her dreams had been filled with hooks and shotguns and the ghost of Milah Gold at the bottom of the harbor, wet and rotting, waiting for Belle to take a place by her side.  
She tried to shake off the images, but a sobering thought occurred to her. What if she wasn’t chosen as a chorus girl? What if she auditioned and didn’t make it in? The thought panicked her. What if the plan never even got off the ground? No, she was in this up to her neck, already. It had to work.

Belle got up and put on an old dress. She had no idea what to prepare for during the day. She decided to get some air and maybe check out her contact at Jack’s. Ariel Finn, Mr. Gold had called her. A pretty name, and it went along with a pretty girl whose blazing mane made her stand out in the tiny diner car as she filled cups of coffee and took orders like a whirlwind. Belle liked to stop at Jack’s for a piece of pie fairly regularly, and she had never seen this new girl before. She sat at an empty stool and waited for her to come by. The girl surprised Belle by plopping down next to her and animatedly asking, “So! Belle French. How do you take your coffee?” 

“Um, I prefer tea actually,” Belle responded.

“Good to know. I’m Ariel Finn. I’ll take care of getting the news to Mr. Gold that you need to see him or need something. Here’s the thing. We need a code in case someone is watching you closely. If everything is fine just order a tea and we’ll talk like normal dames. If you’re in trouble and are being followed, order a coffee. Got it?”

“Got it.”

“Everything is going to be fine, Belle. You’re not going to be there forever, you know. I’m sure the boss has a plan for every eventuality. He’s good like that,” Ariel tried to reassure her. “Well, I better get back to work. We all have our part to play.” She winked at Belle and stood up, grabbing her coffee pot and going back to her spot behind the counter.

Belle had nothing else to do but to walk back to the boarding house and wait for Dove. She wasn’t sure when he would be arriving, but she didn’t have long to wait. There was a knock on the door of her room and when she answered it, the hulking man who had gently patted her shoulder was waiting on the other side.

“Miss.” He said “If you’ll come with me.”

Belle grabbed her wrap coat and followed Dove down to the street. There was a shiny Cadillac waiting at the curb.

Dove drove them through the streets and dropped her off at a building with a brilliant purple door. The sign above it said simply  
“Jefferson's” in swirling art nouveau script. Belle looked back at Dove and he gave her a slight shooing gesture with his hand that made her smile. She knocked three times and the door was flung open immediately. Belle stepped backwards, then curiosity got the better of her and she peered inside. A man of medium height with light brown hair who was dashingly handsome was holding the door open. Like Ariel, he seemed to already know her, exclaiming, "Belle! Come right in!" With a bit of a manic grin, he ushered her inside. 

"I'm Jefferson, the proprietor of this fine establishment." 

"And what exactly do you do?" Belle asked warily. 

"Hmmm hard to say exactly. Couturier, choreographer... I'm a man of many hats, my darling. But! My job for Mr. Gold is to get you ready for your big audition." 

Belle felt a wave of relief. Her dream would not come true. There was someone to turn to for help in this incredible scheme. "Let's sit down for some tea. I hope you like tea." Belle nodded. The two sat down at a small, ornate side table dominated by a colorful tea set. The rest of the room was a wide and airy space with a hardwood floor. A dance barre and mirror-lined wall took up one side of the room and an area that was currently holding racks of dresses stood on the other side. "I'm told your dancing is impeccable. However, this is the audition of your life, so we want it to be perfect. Same with wardrobe. You need to draw these men in. You're not at all hard on the eyes, kid, but I'm going to make you shine!" Jefferson had poured their tea during this speech, and Belle felt calmer somehow drinking the smoky brew despite her host's prattle.

After exchanging various pleasantries, Belle finished her tea and set her teacup down. "Is this where you put me through my paces?" She giggled. They were like old friends at this point and Jefferson gave a sharp gesture towards the dance floor. "Let's see what you're made of, doll, hm?"

They went through several dances and steps, carefully at first and then with wild abandon. After an hour of sweating to the gramophone music wafting across the floor, Jefferson called it quits.

"Bells, you need more leg flick on the Toddle, sharper pivot in your tango, but your tap and your shimmy are spectacular! You can do this!" he congratulated her.

“Now let's talk dresses and style.”

The two took another tea break to give Belle a chance to catch her breath while Jefferson expounded on color schemes to go with her pale coloring and chestnut hair. Walking over to the racks of dresses, Belle realized these were far outside her own budget and was relieved to remember that Gold was footing the bill. 

“We need you to be eye-catching, but not over the top.” He pulled out a stunning orange dress whose hem was arranged like rounded petals with beading that made an ombre effect. It looked like a sunset in the shape of a dress. Belle gasped.

“I know. Paul Poiret. Too much dress for our purposes, but I just had to show it off to you. No, we need something a little less sophisticated, although keep it in mind if you end up going on a fabulous date.” He winked while pulling a stack of dresses off the rack in a wide array of colors.

He held each up to her lithe frame and muttered to himself before throwing them over a nearby chair. 

“Here we go,” he exclaimed. 

It was a sunny yellow dress that brought out the red highlights in her hair. Belle immediately fell in love with it, having a weakness for the color. The subtle beading on the bottom made circles while an arabesque of beads came up from the waist to a point between her breasts. 

It was exquisite.

“Now, if anyone asks, the boss said to say that you either saved up all your money for it, or that you had a sugar daddy for a short time. Whichever you feel more comfortable with.” Jefferson looked at her seriously.

“I like you, Bells. Be careful, would ya? These are some deep waters you’re getting into and I’d hate for anything to happen to you.”  
Belle felt nervous once again, but warm at the thought that she had made two friends today.

“Thank you for everything, Jefferson.”

“Let me know how the audition goes, doll. If it doesn’t work out, you can always come here to me. Remember that. I don’t have much in the way of protection, but Gold and I are on good terms.”

Belle nodded and took the dress from his hands, gathering her things to leave.

Dove waited outside in the Cadillac, opening the door for her to climb into the backseat. She thanked him and was lost in thought as they drove through the city back to Granny’s boarding house.  
He left her at the curb with a quiet “Good luck, miss,” and drove away.

Belle let herself in the door and walked up the stairs to her own small room. She hung the new dress up in her closet where it shone like a sunbeam.

The audition would take place tomorrow. Belle took a large breath and let it out. 

She was ready.


	3. Lady Be Good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ariel and Mr. Gold have a chat about Belle, and everything rides on Belle's audition.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all again for your comments and kudos. I sincerely appreciate it and love writing this fic!

Ariel Finn removed her apron and called out to the manager at Jack’s that she was off for the night. A moment later she was walking the streets of Boston, dodging in and out of the shadows and avoiding the rough crowds as she neared The Golden Wheel. 

She heard the sound of a lone gull off in the distance, and was homesick for a moment. Ariel’s father worked on the docks and she had grown up on the wharves with six sisters, which was a lot of mouths to feed. From a young age, Ariel was used to taking messages between the dockworkers and Mr. Gold, avoiding detection by first the police and then the Prohibition agents as she grew older and her father turned to rum running from Canada. 

Ariel valued her position in Gold’s organization, as it beat the hell out of being a downtrodden housemaid or turning to prostitution to feed her family. It was a point of pride for Gold that he was strictly in the racketeering trade with his loan sharking, gambling rings, and liquor business without any prostitution or hard drugs like other operations such as the Jones brothers. He may be a criminal, but it seemed as if he tried to be an upstanding one, as strange as that may seem. Not that it would cut him any slack with the district attorney’s office if he stepped too far out of bounds, but Gold was too slick to be caught up by the Prohibition agents, or Probies as they were called, and several high-ranking police officers and judges were in his substantially deep pockets. Ariel stepped up to The Golden Wheel’s door and knocked in a specific pattern. The door slid open and Dove escorted her in. 

“The boss has been waiting for you,” he said mildly and led her down the hall and through the main floor to Gold’s office. 

“Ariel,” he greeted her, looking up from a pile of papers. “Thank you for joining me, dear. How is your family?” 

“Just fine, Mr. Gold. Dad will have a shipment of the good stuff coming in next week with the usual catch.” “Excellent. And how was your meeting with Ms. French?” 

Ariel looked down for a moment. “It was fine…I don’t know about her, boss. She’s awfully green to be running such a big con. She’s game though, I’ll give her that.” 

Gold composed his features and told her “I’m sure Ms. French can handle herself. Otherwise, I would not have set her to the task. Your concern does you credit, though, Ariel. You know to call me straightaway if anything seems off.” 

“You got it, Mr. Gold.” 

“That will be all then, Ariel. Thank you for coming.” 

Ariel took an envelope of cash from Gold’s hand, nodded to him, and left the room. 

 

Gold took a deep breath. Belle French. Beautiful Belle French was taking up an inordinate amount of his thoughts, just as she always had. He still remembered the first time he had seen her, laughing and talking with Ruby Lucas on the Follies stage in between rehearsal numbers. He had been captivated from that very moment. The way she spoke, the way she moved, everything about her. Not that she would ever need to know that. He was twice her age and mired in a life of crime. That wasn’t something the young ladies flocked to with anything other than his money on their minds, a mistake he wouldn’t make again after the debacle with Milah. Belle French, though. His mind kept circling back to her. She seemed so genuine, so full of warmth and compassion. Not to mention her bravery in taking on this dangerous mission he had set for her. If anything happened to her, he would never be able to forgive himself. Gold shook himself. “Get a hold of yourself, laddie,” he muttered. This was always meant to be a temporary arrangement. She would bring him secrets that would knock the Jones brothers down several rungs and perhaps give him enough leverage to obliterate their organization entirely. Yes. Everything would be fine. Belle was so beautiful and talented, there was no way the Jones’ would be able to resist her. Things would be just fine.

 

\---

 

The woman in question was facing a new dawn with butterflies filling her stomach. There were only a few hours until the auditions began at The Pirate’s Cave and Belle was in the process of getting herself ready: taming curls, painting her lips, and putting on a small amount of rouge as Jefferson had suggested in his styling consultation. She put on a robe and went downstairs to fetch a few rolls from Granny’s breakfast table. Belle didn’t think she could keep down anything more than that, and she ran into Ruby on her way back up to her room.

“How’s it going, Bells? I know today’s the big day. You doing alright, hon?”

“Yeah, thanks Red.” Belle took a huge breath and let it out. “I heard it’s a big cattle call this morning, so I’m headed out soon. What are you up to?”

“I’m meeting up with August, the reporter from the other night. He’s taking me out for a drive and then lunch. He seems really nice, Bells, and he’s seen the whole world. Maybe this time I’ve found a good one!”

Belle laughed. “I hope so, Red! Well, I better go change.”

“Good luck, kid!”

“Thanks, Red. You, too.” 

 

Belle went back to her room, morosely munching on her delicious breakfast. She was so distracted that it tasted like sawdust in her mouth. Once she was finished and feeling a little less queasy, she went to put on her striking yellow dress. The color cheered her up, as did the hidden tag pinned inside that said simply “I believe in you. – J.” Tears welled up in Belle’s eyes, but she refused to let them fall and ruin her mascara. She laughed instead and pulled the dress on over her head before zipping it up in the perfect fit.

Belle caught a trolley headed in the opposite direction from when Ruby had taken them to the Golden Wheel. Soon she was in what she knew to be Jones brothers’ territory and she thrilled a little at the realization that it was all starting. She got off the trolley outside the building with a large sign out front proclaiming it “The Pirate’s Cave – Opening in One Week. Dancing and Entertainment for the Swashbuckling Set!” Belle entered the backstage door that was ajar with a sign attached to it that simply read “Chorus Entrance. Auditions 9am to 3pm.” 

The club was large, but nowhere near as elegant as Gold's place. They had gone with a nautical theme, of course, and the stage was set in a grotto lined with rocks and treasure chests. Fishing nets and other aquatic imagery covered the dark blue walls. The main feature were large fish tanks with scantily-clad "mermaids" swimming inside them or resting their arms on the side of the tanks with their heads above water chatting with each other in between their water-logged choreography practice. The entire room glowed with candles set in shells on tables and flickering in lanterns hung around the room. A large chandelier bedecked in coral and pearls lit the main floor. It had a rough charm about it and would no doubt be a hit with patrons.

Belle stood in the backstage area that was dimly lit and filled with row upon row of girls. She was shocked with how many there were! Apparently this was a coveted gig since the Follies hadn’t been open for auditions in quite some time. Belle thought sadly a moment about her old beloved Follies, wondering who they would replace her with. She shook this thought off, though – she had to stay in the present. Belle waited patiently amidst the quiet chatter around her, one of the few girls who looked intensely focused on the task ahead as she went through the steps in her mind that Jefferson had prepared for her.

The pianist, who she heard was called Charlie, was taking each girl's music or her request for a song. The Jones brothers, Killian and Liam, were sitting at one of the tables directly before the grotto. Each had a large drink set before them and looked thoroughly bored. Auditions weren't going as well as hoped, it seemed, based on the first few girls Belle watched. After an hour-long wait or so she moved to the front of the audition line.

She handed her resume to the stage manager who took it down to the brothers. 

Charlie the pianist asked her "What'll it be, doll?" as she stepped up to the piano. 

"‘Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue’, please.” Belle requested. 

"You got it, kid." 

 

Belle took a deep breath and threw her head back, squaring her shoulders before walking to the front of the stage. The music started and she started in on the tap choreography Jefferson had taught her. Twirling and high-kicking as she went through the motions, she realized she actually felt good! This was what she loved and she knew it was coming across to the audience members. The chatter in the room slowed to a stop as all eyes went to her and she was vaguely aware that the Jones brothers were leaning forward in interest. When the song stopped, the stage manager called for a partner, and a young man joined her onstage. Charlie started in on a tango, and Belle remembered Jefferson's advice, pivoting sharply and letting her partner fling her around the stage in the sensuous dance. 

"Enough!" called out Liam, and Belle stopped to catch her breath. 

"Come on down here, luv, and let's have a chat," he entreated her.

This was the first time they had requested a girl come down to speak with them from what she had observed, and Belle was surprised and a little wary. She made her way down the stairs and walked towards their table.

“Welcome, gorgeous! That was amazing,” praised Liam. Killian seemed to be the silent one of the pair, and Belle could just see the tip of his hook resting in his lap. She did her best to look suitably excited.

“There’s just one thing, doll. It says here you worked for the Follies up until now. Why are you auditioning here after working for our…competition for so long?”

Belle took a deep breath.

“I was fired a few days ago. Mr. Gold and my father are having problems and I refused to pay him in the way he wanted to be paid.” She tried to look defiant.

“Fucking Gold and his Follies. You’re better off without him, luv.” Killian voiced his opinion in a low growl.

“So why do you want to be a chorus girl, anyway? Judging from your clothes, you’re fairly well set up.” Liam looked her up and down, taking in the beautiful yellow dress and her mother’s amethyst necklace that accompanied it.

“Well, you see, I had a daddy at one point who took care of my clothes and things like that,” Belle blushed to be lying about trading favors for clothes, but she had decided it made more sense than claiming she blew her last savings on Jefferson’s creation.

The brothers exchanged a look at this information. 

“Ah. I see. No harm no foul there, gorgeous. You do what you gotta do, am I right? I won’t make no bones about it. We want you, Belle. You’re extraordinary. My brother and I see you as one of our top-billed dancers. What do you think of that?” Liam watched her carefully for her reaction. Hook took a large drink of whatever was in his mug and gave her a wink. 

Belle was honestly floored. “Principal dancer? That’s amazing! Thank you!” 

Hook nudged Liam with his elbow and his brother coughed. “Seeing as you’ve not been opposed to keeping a sugar daddy in the past – no offense luv – there’s also an opportunity to be one of our tableau vivant girls if you want to make a little…extra income.”

“You mean posing half-naked in big scenic displays?” Belle asked. She had heard they had that sort of thing in New York and Atlantic City. 

“Yeeeeees, and a little more. Our girls are available to keep patrons company if they so desire it. You get what I’m saying?” Jones wiggled his eyebrows and it would have been comical if his suggestion wasn’t so coarse.

“Um, no thank you. If it’s alright with you, I’ll stick with dancing,” she replied. 

Jones shrugged nonchalantly and accepted her answer with an "As you say, luv. Just keep your options open." 

Belle tried not to look creeped out that she'd apparently just been solicited for prostitution on top of her dancing gig and thanked them again with as much exuberance as she could muster.

“No, thank you, Belle,” Liam smiled at her. 

“We’ll take good care of you here at The Pirate’s Cave. Gold and his Follies won’t be able to touch you,” Hook added. He gave her a small smile, and Belle was suddenly aware of the charm hiding underneath his appropriately pirate-ish exterior. No wonder Milah Gold had fallen for him.

Belle gave the brothers a nod and moved away from the table. She walked to the side of the room and met with Desmond, the stage manager.

“Ok, Belle. You’re in, and the bosses love you, as if you couldn’t tell. We open in a week and there’s going to be a lot of pressure on you as a principal dancer. Can you handle it?”

Belle nodded and he went on “Ok, then. Come in tomorrow in the morning for costume fittings and rehearsal. You’ll meet the other girls then, and we’ll see about getting you a regular dancing partner for the show. Congratulations,” Desmond added and gave her a pat on the arm with a broad smile.

Everyone was being so friendly. Besides the thinly veiled prostitution suggestion, it was hard to believe that she’d be digging for dark and dirty secrets within the organization. Belle reminded herself what was at stake, though – her father’s livelihood and her own safety if they ever found out she was still working for Mr. Gold. She gathered her things and caught the trolley home after watching a few more of the auditioning girls, wondering if there was a kindred spirit like Red amongst them. 

 

Belle stopped in at Jack’s. She had to get word to Mr. Gold that everything was going according to plan. She took a seat at a table and waited for Ariel to make contact. 

The flame-haired beauty stepped up to her and asked, “What’ll it be, miss?”

“Tea, please.”

Ariel’s eyes widened and she asked breathlessly, “Well??”

“It’s on,” Belle replied with a grin.

Ariel gave a small cheer. “I’ll get word to Mr. Gold. He’ll want to meet you at the movie palace in the balcony at 4pm tomorrow before the evening crowd arrives. Does that work?”

Belle thought a moment about the schedule Desmond had handed her on her way out. “Yeah, that’ll be fine. I’ll be done rehearsing by then.”

“Perfect. Oh Belle, I’m so proud of you!” Ariel glanced around and gave her a quick hug, surprising but pleasing Belle.

“Thanks, Ariel. I’m going to go relax with a hot bath, I think. My nerves are shot!”

“I can imagine. Take a piece of pie for the road, will ya? You need to celebrate somehow.”

 

Belle took the proffered pie and went back to the boarding house where she ran a bubble bath, an extravagance to be sure, but one she thoroughly deserved. Thoughts of the Jones brothers filled her head, but she tried to push them away and concentrate on the upcoming meeting with Mr. Gold. Handsome Mr. Gold with his three-piece suits and his sexy half-smile. Belle giggled to herself and ducked below the water as if she were one of The Pirate’s Cave’s “mermaids.” This was it. Her adventure was really happening, and so far it was all smooth seas.


	4. Alone at Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle has an encounter with Killian Jones then meets up with Mr. Gold to hatch a plot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The inspiration for Belle's costume:   
> http://myrsinemezzo.tumblr.com/post/113706749604/henry-clives-pinup-painting-that-i-used-as
> 
> As you can see, I'm on tumblr. Feel free to follow me over there :)

It was 6am and Belle was standing in front of her father’s charming little flower shop. She had assumed business was steady as always, but the delivery trucks that brought in the stock were unloading fewer flowers than she had ever seen them unload before. Belle walked into the shop and on into the little office that resided in the back. Her father, Moe, was there as he was every morning, nursing his morning coffee. 

Belle felt a small pang of homesickness seeing him there. She used to make the coffee for him before she had decided she needed to strike out on her own and live closer to The Follies. Moe had never approved of her taking the Follies gig. He was proud to have a dancer for a daughter, that wasn’t the problem, the problem was her employer which Belle had never seen as an issue before now.

He looked up at her entrance. “Petal! What are you doing here so early?”

“Just came for a quick visit, Dad. I wanted to see how things were going.”

“Oh, fine, fine. Everything’s a-ok here, sweetheart.”

Belle paused for a moment. She hadn’t been sure how much to tell her father, but she needed him to know that she understood his situation with Mr. Gold.

“Dad, I don’t think things are fine. In fact, I know they’re far from fine. I had a talk with Mr. Gold a few days ago.” Her father visibly cringed at the name.

“Dad, why didn’t you tell me what was going on?”

“How could I, when you were already pitching your own money in to help out with the shop? Business just wasn’t coming in. I should never   
have accepted a loan from that monster. I didn’t know what I was getting into, Belle. You have to believe me.”

“I came to tell you everything’s going to be alright, Dad. I’ve made a deal with him.

“Sweetheart, no! You don’t know what he’s capable of.” Moe’s face paled at the thought of Belle owing Gold.

“Tell me it wasn’t a favor, petal. Those are the worst. You don’t know what he can do with one little favor.”

“No, dad. I’m working a job.” 

Moe noticeably calmed.

“Like extra time at The Follies?”

“Not exactly…I’m working at The Pirate’s Cave.” Belle reached out to steady her father in his chair. He looked visibly stunned by the information that she was working for the Jones brothers instead.

“What are you doing in that hell hole, petal? If Gold is bad, those Jones brothers are worse. I wouldn’t think it’s possible, but I’ve heard things about them.”

“It’s only temporary, Dad. I just have to find out a little information on them for Mr. Gold. Then I’m out. And I’m principal dancer like I’ve always wanted to be. I’m trying to enjoy that much, at least. If I have to work for any of them, at least my dancing is going to be seen. Maybe I could get a good review and move to a different city. We could both go.”

“Your mother’s buried here, petal. I’m not going anywhere,” Moe smiled at her sadly. Belle’s beautiful mother had died young of the Spanish Flu of 1918, and her father had never recovered from her death.

“I understand, Dad.” Belle said quietly, putting a hand on her father’s arm.

“I never wanted to say anything bad about Gold in front of you since I knew he was your employer, but you need to watch out for him, sweetheart. I know he can seem harmless, but he’s done terrible things to people who have gotten in his way. I’ll figure out a way to pay him back, myself. Get yourself out of this business.”

“No way. I’m not leaving you alone to figure this out. I’m going to keep working at the Jones’ and before you know it, everything will be alright. You’ll see, Dad. Somehow it will all work out.” Belle was not entirely sure that was the truth, but she wanted her father to think she was okay. She couldn’t bear it if he thought badly of her for the work she was doing. Her father was her weakness. She would do anything to keep him safe, and Gold knew it. Otherwise, she would never be in this position. 

“Here, Dad. I got this back from Mr. Gold when I started working for him,” Belle handed her father her mother’s necklace. “I know you would never part with it unless things were really bad.”

Moe’s eyes filled with a few tears as he took it from her. He gruffly wiped them away.

“You have no idea how much this means to me, petal, thank you.” 

“Well, I better go. Take care of yourself, dad.”

“You too, sweetheart. Be careful. I couldn’t stand it if I lost you as well.”

Belle left quickly, to let her father pull himself together again before another shipment of flowers arrived. She was glad to have seen that he was working to put the business back on track, and hoped that he would never have to turn to Gold again if she pulled off this scheme. 

 

Back at The Pirate’s Cave, it was time for Belle’s fitting and then to run through the choreography for opening night. Belle waited backstage in one of the dressing rooms, and was shocked to see Jefferson walk through the door. He quickly closed the door to the room and made sure it was empty of all but the two of them. “I know, I know. What the hell am I doing here? The Jones brothers want to make a splash, and who else do you go to in this town for costumes but, well…me. So here we are, both playing our little games. Delicious, isn’t it, kid?”

Belle was bowled over, but certainly happy to see him. She would never forget the help he had given her before her audition.

“What am I wearing?” Belle asked eagerly.

“Oh, just you wait until you see this, Bells.” Jefferson hung up a garment bag he’d been carrying and unzipped it to reveal a sexy pirate girl outfit. “I’m thinking Pirate Queen with a little razzle dazzle for our principle dancer. Proud of you, kid.” Jefferson grinned at her and Belle grinned back. When she’d put the costume on, Belle was transformed into a pinup dream with red head scarf, large earrings, and flowing black and lavender striped rags that made up the short skirt. The top was a light-blue jacket with gold buttons that flared at the hips with a bustier of white rags underneath. It was all pulled together with a wide black leather belt with gold belt buckle that held a place for a sword to fall at her hip. Jefferson had managed to be tasteful and sexy all at the same time, and it fit Belle’s adventurous side to a T. He pulled a Kodak camera out of a bag and took her picture.

“There. You’re perfect! I wish I could stay and chat more, but I have to take care of the other girls. You’re still watching out for yourself, right?”

Belle nodded.

“Good. You’re practically becoming my muse, Bells. Can’t lose you now.” It chilled Belle a little that his words paralleled her father’s from just hours before.

“Nothing to worry about here, Jefferson. Just doing my job.” She winked at him and he laughed as he left her alone.   
She wandered out into the backstage area to find Desmond, the stage manager and choreographer, hoping we could point her in the direction of her partner. Belle groaned inwardly when Desmond pointed at a large man leaning against the side of the stage wall. It was the same man who had tried to butt in on Ruby and Belle’s dancing at The Golden Wheel. Gaston something?

“Don’t worry. He’s more for looks and for lifting muscle than anything else,” Desmond whispered to her.

“Doll face! Don’t I remember you from the other night? It’s Gaston Rose” Gaston called out as Belle approached.

“Let’s get one thing clear. I’m not your doll face, and we’re not having anything to do with each other beyond a professional relationship. Got it?” Belle looked as menacing as she could in her pirate outfit.

“Woah. Let’s not get all balled up, doll. Everything’s keen. I need this gig, so we’re copacetic. Just the work. Got it. Got it.” He looked suitably chastised and the two waited in silence for Desmond to give them directions. 

In their routine Belle was a pirate queen who tapped and twirled around Gaston as he tried to catch her. He lifted her up and tossed her in the air. She landed in his arms with her feet on the floor, almost in an embrace, until the audience realized she suddenly had her sword at his throat. After she made him “walk the plank” into the backstage wings, the stage hands threw buckets of blue sequins from offstage to end the act as Belle bowed to the audience. 

Belle heard laughter and applause from the mermaid girls and a manly voice joining in that wasn’t Desmond. Killian Jones had been watching as well. 

“You make a dashing pirate, Ms. French,” he smiled at her. Belle smiled back uncertainly. 

“I came to apologize for the offer my brother made you yesterday. It was bad form. I hope you'll forgive us and have dinner with me if you’re available.” Belle hesitated, but this might be it! This might be her way in to finding out more dirt on the organization. 

“Of course, Mr. Jones. That would be lovely.” 

“Call me Killian. Tomorrow night then?” 

“Tomorrow night,” she agreed.

\---

Belle was excited to get out of rehearsal and tell Mr. Gold about this new development. That she already had a lead had to be a positive in her favor. How to go about getting the information out of Killian was another matter entirely. Was this a date? Did he expect anything from her or was this really just a get to know you thing? If the former, then he had another think coming. She had no interest in the rogue. Who she did have an unfortunate interest in was an older man with a checkered background. Mr. Gold was certainly someone she should listen to her father about and avoid as much as possible, but the short meeting they’d already had made her crave more contact with him.

Rehearsal was soon over, and Belle made her way to the Coolidge Corner movie palace to meet Gold. She bought a ticket for the feature, coincidentally called Upstage, that she understood was all about vaudevillians. Ruby had been dying to see it for the last week. Belle entered the large building and found her way to the balcony. It was nearly deserted at this hour but for a few mothers with their children on the far side of the balcony away from her. Closer to her was a man in a fedora. It must be Mr. Gold, here already and waiting for her. Belle slid into the seat next to him. They sized each other up for a moment, he admiring the way her cheeks were glowing with excitement, and she wondering how to broach her supposed date with Killian. 

“So, my dear, how have things been getting along at The Pirate’s Cave?” he asked her with interest.

“I’ve been made principle dancer, which is amazing. I’ve made friends with the pianist, choreographer, and the stage crew. There’s nothing strange going on there. It’s just like the setup at The Follies. They did ask me to be a tableau vivant girl, though,” Belle blushed. “I’m pretty sure it’s a front for prostitution. Does that help?”

“Oh dearie, I wish it did.” Gold sighed. “I already knew the Jones brothers had such a setup in mind. They seem to be subtle enough in those matters that the contacts they also have in law enforcement will keep that from bringing them down.”

“This is more than just a territory dispute, isn’t it?” Belle asked “I know you have a personal vendetta against Killian Jones…”

“Oh, you know, do you?” he responded mildly, but there was something more beneath his façade of disinterest.

“I, uh, will be having dinner with him tomorrow night,” she ventured. “I think it might be a good time to gather information. What do you think?”

Gold was quiet for a long moment. If Belle didn’t know any better, the storm cloud that briefly passed over his face indicated he was…jealous?

“This was what you wanted, wasn’t it?” she asked.

Gold seemed to shake himself and briskly became all business again.

“Yes, yes, of course,” he nodded with a quirk of a smile.

“You’re doing wonderfully, Belle. Don’t let an old monster worry you on that score.”

“You’re not a monster. I can tell.” She responded and lightly rested her hand on his.

“You don’t know me, or the kinds of things I’ve done.” He reveled in the feeling of her skin on his. It made him want to reveal all his secrets to her and see if she would actually have him. But that was never going to happen. A beautiful woman like Belle couldn’t be interested in him – it was in his imagination that her soft hand indicated more.

“I don’t know what to do next.” Belle said softly.

At first, Gold thought she meant something happening next between them, and his heart leaped a little. It plunged back down when he realized she meant the job. He tried to get his mind back on business.

“They’re more subtle than I gave them credit for with the prostitution, but perhaps not in their other business dealings. When you're in the club, try to find a way to look in their office for something incriminating. They don't suspect anyone at The Pirate's Cave, yet, let alone you. They may be a little sloppy when it comes to hiding their other schemes. Look for hidden drawers or something of that nature, and we'll pray to god they don't use a safe. Try to listen in on phone conversations, as well. Things of that nature. I wish I had more that I could tell you, dearie. That’s how I’d go about it, though. You’ll figure something out. You’re a smart girl, otherwise I wouldn’t have asked you to do this.” He smiled his crooked smile at her that made her knees wobble a little. 

“Contact Ariel if you find anything out and need to meet again within the next few days. There’s plenty of time, Belle. Don’t risk anything on this one evening if you don’t have to.” He sounded almost nervous on her behalf.

“Good luck, dearie. Dove’s waiting downstairs to make sure nobody followed you up. Keep in touch.” He raised the hand that was still resting on his and gave it a light kiss. He couldn’t say why. He just needed to do it. Her skin was as soft and smelled as sweet as he’d imagined. He quickly raised himself out of his chair and left her, pulling his fedora down to shield his face. 

Belle was all a-flutter. She could feel the imprint of his lips emblazoned on her skin. She drew in a long breath and let it out. This was not the way to be staying clear of Mr. Gold, but she couldn’t help feeling elated at the gesture. Perhaps he was as drawn to her as she was to him. The moving picture was an hour long, and Belle stayed until the end, just in case that was the best thing to do. As she walked back to the boarding house, she felt as if her feet barely touched the ground. No thoughts of Killian Jones and tomorrow’s work were filling her mind, just the thought of the infamous Mr. Gold and the brush of his gentle lips against her skin.


End file.
